Working across generations and building the future together

Team Leader Paul has been part of Royal Houdijk since 1987. Throughout his career, he has travelled the world commissioning systems and supporting customers. Today, one of the most rewarding aspects of his work is helping new colleagues develop their technical skills.

"When I started my career, the focus was much more on mechanical engineering," Paul explains. "Today's engineers are educated much more broadly. They combine mechanical and electrical knowledge, which fits perfectly with the integrated systems we design and build."

The way knowledge is transferred has also evolved over the years.

"In the past, we often said: 'This is how we've always done it.' Nowadays, I prefer asking: 'How would you solve this?' We discuss different approaches together. That way, they learn from my experience, while I also gain new insights from their perspective. It keeps me learning as well."

At the same time, Paul knows that experience remains incredibly valuable. Years of working on international projects have taught him which solutions work in practice and which pitfalls to avoid. Sharing that knowledge helps younger colleagues solve challenges more efficiently and with greater confidence.

Field Service Engineer Wessel  joined Royal Houdijk in 2024 after completing his internship with the company. Working alongside experienced colleagues has accelerated his professional development.

"I really enjoy going on projects with experienced colleagues," Wessel says. "They have an incredible amount of mechanical knowledge. Whenever we need to make adjustments during assembly, I often ask them for advice. I've learned so much from them."

Knowledge sharing goes both ways.

"On the other hand, I sometimes help my colleagues with digital tools. Growing up with these technologies means they come naturally to me, just as many of my colleagues excel through years of hands-on technical experience. Everyone brings their own strengths to the team."

This combination of experience and fresh perspectives creates a strong foundation for continuous improvement.

The workplace has changed over the years, and so have employees' expectations. Royal Houdijk recognises the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance while continuing to support customers around the globe.

"In the past, there was much less focus on work-life balance in the technical field," Paul explains. "Today, we do our best to accommodate personal wishes whenever possible. At the same time, we also ask colleagues to be flexible when projects require it. That mutual understanding creates a healthy balance for everyone."

Wessel experiences that flexibility in his daily work.

"If there's an important birthday or family event, the planning team genuinely tries to take that into account. In return, I'm happy to be flexible whenever needed. I also really enjoy travelling abroad for projects, so that works well for me."

At Royal Houdijk, working across generations means much more than passing on knowledge. It means learning from one another, combining practical experience with new technologies, and continuously challenging each other to improve.

By bringing together different generations, backgrounds and perspectives, we create stronger teams, smarter solutions and better results for our customers worldwide.

That is how we continue shaping the future of processing and packaging technology: together.